Stephen A. Smith usually reacts to news surrounding the sports world, but he’s embroiled in the middle of it on Friday after his confrontation with LeBron James.

Stephen A. Smith reportedly agrees to stay at ESPN with 5-year, $100 million deal - Yahoo Sports

After the Lakers’ win over the New York Knicks on Thursday, Smith and James were seen talking courtside. James appeared to mention something about his son before walking off into the locker room.

On Friday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith confirmed those suspicions.

“That was LeBron James coming up to me – unexpectedly, I might add – to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about his son. I can’t repeat the words because they’re not suited for FCC airwaves,” Smith said Friday on ESPN.

“I’ve thought long and hard about this over the last few hours. I had no intentions of talking about this at all, and the reason why is because it was a one-on-one confrontation.

But then I woke up and everybody told me this thing went viral, so that’s why I have to discuss it now.”

Smith prefaced his comments on television by claiming that he had “no choice” but to address the matter today, an assertion that one of LeBron’s former teammates took issue with.

“You have no choice? lol Because it went viral? lol You didn’t want to have to? lol You wouldn’t have? lol,” said Kevin Love. Love played with James for several years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the two won an NBA championship together in 2016.

A closeup of Kevin Love.

CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warms up prior to Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Love now plays for the Heat, but he and James have remained good friends from their time with the Cavs.

Smith added that he understood where LeBron’s point of view, and that he realized that he was coming to him as a father instead of simply a basketball player confronting a journalist.

“I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any regard. He’s a wonderful family man who cares very deeply about his son,” Smith continued on Friday.

“He clearly took exception to some of the things he heard me say and he confronted me about it.”

James and the Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season, but this incident with Smith has been the talk of the NBA world on Friday. We’ll see if the matter is resolved after Smith’s comments on “First Take.”